Charging 3rd battery from Solar / Lithium
 

Okay I'm final getting around to this tread about running the Engel off solar/ 3rd battery, so I'll show some photos and explain.https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...eb3a37ad3e.jpg

Okay this is where it all starts, the 3rd battery It's mounted under the tub behind the rear wheel and in normal operations has a splash cover over it.
It's plumbed to four 12vdc outlets around the truck


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7ba6d68f81.jpg

This is the first 12vdc plug , it;s the merit style sits on the out side of the 3rd battery


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...8ab66e8268.jpg

This Anderson plug is used to trickle charge the start batteries, and if needed can run solar from battery in the camper to start the truck .


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...582410558d.jpg


Anderson plug at the rear of the truck this will take charge from the solar / Lithium battery in the camper, all these inlets are connected to the 3rd battery in the truck which is where the engel and any other accessories can connect

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...706c3c564d.jpg

This is the dual battery management control box , this separates the start batteries form the 3rd battery, so i can't run down the 3rd battery and then start draining the start batteries.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7bc649cdd2.jpg


This is the in cab LED control that can switch from the start batteries to the 3rd battery, just shows you there condition.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...d675bd58ad.jpg

This is the PWM solar regulator in the rear of the truck connected to the 3rd battery.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...4efa5811d8.jpg

This is the Draw bar on the camper , the Anderson plug on the right is DC-DC charger, on the left is the 12vdc outlet that goes to the truck to charge the 3rd battery and then power the engel, i can plug into any off the three outlets on the back of the truck for this to happen.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...dc42fc4f0e.jpg


That's the Low Voltage Disconnect that the 12vdc Anderson plug runs to, this is there so the Lithium battery in the camper doesn't run to low.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...982a7f3b4a.jpg

This is the Battery pack (Lithium 400ah) in the camper that the power comes from when camping and there's no charge from the alternator, the camper has five 125watt solar panel that charge the Lithium and runs through a MPPT solar regulator.

Thanks very much for that!

Great photos and write up.

A good looking set up very neat, what brand are those lithium cells?
Bob

They are Winston Batteries from EV Power in WA, here a link .


EV Power - Australian Electric Vehicle Specialists ? EV Power - Australian Electric Vehicles sells Electric Bikes and car conversions, Electric Bicycles, Electric Vehicles, Conversion Kits.

I have winston cells, but they are yellow, got them from the back shed in mackay qld.
AreThe small wires coming from each cell are to a cell logger ?
bob

Those small wires are the BMS units that EV Power builds , they keep the cells balanced , if 1 cell was down on charge you can charge that cell and bring it up to 3.2 volts to match the rest. These BMS units are very important to the life expectancy of your battery pack.
EV Power - Australian Electric Vehicle Specialists ? EV Power - Australian Electric Vehicles sells Electric Bikes and car conversions, Electric Bicycles, Electric Vehicles, Conversion Kits.

I use a cell logger to keep an eye on the balance, a pl20 to control batt volts.
Bob

I'm not familiar with the cell logger it must be made by the people that sold you the cells, the system i have is all from EV Power, also programmed MPPT solar charger for Lithium

The cell logger is from Hong Kong it is programable for li batterys, I have heard
Of the ev power system a bit expensive I have been told.
Bob

I found them (EV Power) to be under the prices of other brands , and real good to deal with , Rod certainly knows his stuff.

What other brand system did you look at, I didn't think there were many that worked very successfully.
Bob

Yeah there are a few others that are used now , it's been awhile since i fitted mine but most of the caravan manufactures are fitting Lithium now on demand, a Google search will pull these sites up.:-X22

Thanks for that, I was just wondering if there any other plug and play setups that work,
I have one in my ute another in a caravan both 200 amph, that I built myself with help from
A friend.
Bob.